Healthy kids, healthy futures

Healthy kids, healthy futures is the Victorian Government’s five year action plan to support children and young people to be healthy, active and well. We want all Victorian children to enjoy a healthy, happy childhood and to lay the foundations for life-long health and wellbeing. This is more important now than ever before as we support children and young people to recover from the turbulence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Consistent with the Victorian Public Health and Wellbeing Plan 2023-27, Healthy kids, healthy futures has a strong focus on creating supportive environments for healthy eating and active living, as well as capturing complementary mental wellbeing initiatives. It includes both existing commitments and priority actions for the next five years.

The goals of the plan are to ensure:

• child, youth and family focused places provide and promote healthier food and drink;
• communities focus on the health and wellbeing of children and young people;
• children, young people and families are supported to be healthy and raise healthy children; and
• more opportunities to be active throughout the day.

Good physical and mental health offer lifelong benefits for children and young people. Healthy eating and active living support healthy growth and physical and cognitive development. They equip children and young people to stay alert, concentrate and learn better in the classroom, and protect against infections, poor mental health and the development of chronic diseases in later life.

Supporting children and young people’s mental wellbeing also provides them with the social and emotional skills and confidence they need to build positive relationships, face life’s challenges and succeed in their future endeavours.

Promoting physical and mental wellbeing is a long-term commitment, so this plan highlights both existing efforts and priority primary prevention actions for the next five years. It establishes the strategic directions that will guide our efforts into the future so that all Victorian children and young people can thrive.